How to Use Possessive Forms in Tamil for English Speakers

Understanding Possessive Forms in Tamil

In Tamil, possessive forms indicate ownership or association, similar to the English possessive 's or the preposition 'of'. However, Tamil uses suffixes attached to the noun to express possession, which is different from English.

Basic Structure of Possessive Forms

The possessive form in Tamil is created by adding specific suffixes to the noun that denotes the possessor. These suffixes vary depending on the noun's ending and the person (first, second, third) involved.

Common Possessive Suffixes in Tamil

• -ன் (-n) for first person singular (my)
• -ன் (-n) or -ன் (-n) for second person singular (your)
• -ன் (-n) or -ன் (-n) for third person singular (his/her)
• -ம் (-m) for first person plural (our)
• -ம் (-m) for second person plural (your)
• -ம் (-m) for third person plural (their)

Note: The suffixes can change slightly depending on the noun's ending and phonetic rules.

Examples of Possessive Forms

Using Possessive Forms in Sentences

Possessive forms in Tamil are used before the noun that is possessed, similar to English. For example, 'என் புத்தகம்' means 'my book'. The possessor comes first with the possessive suffix, followed by the noun owned.

Important Notes for English Speakers

Unlike English, Tamil does not use an apostrophe to indicate possession. Instead, the suffix is attached directly to the possessor noun. Also, the suffix changes depending on the possessor's person and number, so it is important to learn these suffixes carefully.